In Memory of Lulu Pickles
by celrock
Summary: Grandpa Lou delivers the yulogy at his late second wife's funeral, shortly after her death. Yulogy will be told from Lou's POV, while a letter to Lulu from Taffy will be presented centered, and in italics, and this story is written to commemorate the death of Debbie Reynolds.


Author's Note: Sorry I haven't been around much this past week. I was busy celebrating the holidays, amongst other things going on in my life. However, when I heard that Debbie Reynolds, the voice of Lulu Pickles died on Wednesday, and got a request from Olaughlinhunter to write a tribute story to pay dedication and respect to her, well, I'm never one to turn down a request, unless of course it's dealing with a subject matter or an activity that I feel strongly uncomfortable about writing for, but in this case, I feel no discomfort at all, and while I had originally requested Sovietlollipop to do this story, well, that request hasn't been abolished completely, chances are we'll see his interpretation of Lulu's death in his universe, but for now, let's see how things play out in mine. To Debbie Reynolds, may you rest, in peace.

In Memory of Lulu Pickles

Summary: Grandpa Lou delivers the yulogy at his late second wife's funeral, shortly after her death. Yulogy will be told from Lou's POV, while a letter to Lulu from Taffy will be presented centered, and in italics, and this story is written to commemorate the death of Debbie Reynolds.

Disclaimer: I do not own the original Rugrats characters, they're the property of their original creaters. Nor do I own the song presented in this story, it is from Charlotte's Web. I only own any OC's you don't recognize.

It was a Wednesday in late September, a few days shortly after Lulu's death. She had died of a stroke the weekend before, shortly after arriving at the hospital when Lou and other staff at the nursing home where they were living now noticed some odd behavior from her, including shortness of breath. At the wake, Lou looked down at the casket where his beloved wife lay, still with a head full of purplish gray hair, dressed in her typical attire, a yellow dress and blue jacket. Lou knelt down at the alter, tears quietly trickling down his cheeks, as he silently said a prayer for his wife. Of course, the man's health had spared better days. He was over ninety now, while his late wife was in her mid eighties at the time of her death. Lou had had a heart attack earlier that year, and was on beta-blockers as a result. He was much thinner now, and found it harder to keep his balance, being more subject to falling down easily if somebody were to run him down. His eyesight had also failed more so within the last few years, and he now wore a hearing aid in both ears. But despite the deteriation of his and his wife's health, one thing hadn't changed. He loved her up until the very end, and would miss her dearly after her unkindly passing.

Lou slowly got up from the alter and made his way over to a chair, to let other friends and family members come through and pay their respects. The man was dressed in black for the occasion, and the funeral that would be taking place in a short while would be held at the chapel of the funeral home, reserved for a small gathering of close friends and family members who could attend. Everybody in Lou's family was able to attend, except for Angelica, who was away at college, while Taffy and her family on Lulu's side of the family, were sadly, unable to attend, because everybody had come down with a case of Shingles that was going around. Too bad, as Taffy was suppose to perform at the funeral, as requested by Lulu, as within the last couple of years, she had made her Will, and made what funeral arrangements she could. However, thanks to some last minute arrangements with the Wombat group that Lou had been a long-time member of for years, her request would still be granted, even if a few things had to be adjusted, in light of recent circumstances beyond anybody's control. Sometime later, the funeral began, and Lou took his place in the chapple, sitting next to his sons, daughter-in-laws, and grandsons.

"We are here to say goodbye to Lulu Johnston Pickles. A U.S.O. girl from World War II, a nurse in our very own community, and a loving great aunt, wife, and grandmother, this woman, will be missed dearly, by her friends, and family. To say a few words in memory of her, is her husband, Lou Calhern Pickles." Minister Richard said, as Lou slowly stood up from his seat in the pew, and headed up to the front of the chapple, to give his yulogy.

Lou POV

What can I say about Lulu? Sweet, darling Lulu. Well I can say we had fifteen beautiful years together as a couple, had she made it another two weeks, we would have celebrated our sixteenth wedding anniversary, but our history goes way back, before either one of my boys were ever born. Yep, believe it or not, I met her many years ago during World War II, when I was cooking for the boys on the front line, when we were stationed in France. I was at a U.S.O. show where she was performing. Never mind that she kept forgetting the lyrics, she was the prettiest little gal I had ever seen. Even saved her some food. Of course, I couldn't bring myself to tell her how I really felt, the army would think I was crazy. I dashed out of there as fast as I could, never knowing if I'd see her again.

Several years past. I had more or less, long forgotten about Lulu, as I moved on, found love with my first wife Trixi, and had two beautiful boys. I watched them grow up, ran my repair business, and Lulu lived her life to the fullest. It wasn't until the fall after my second grandson was born when we reunited, long after Trixi had passed on. Of course, I have my youngest son Stu and his conflabbed inventions to thank for our reunion. I moved in with my son after Trixi died, but when his inventions got to be too much for me, as in, his Reptar robot he was working on for the upcoming fall parade that year causing an explosion to leave a giant whole in the kitchen floor, and I just, happen to be on the phone at the time with my cousin Miriam, who had recently moved into Withering Oaks Retirement Home herself, I felt it was time, for me to finally move out.

Little did I know what I was getting into when I agreed to this. All of the ladies were after me. Of course, all I wanted was some peace and quiet, but it didn't look like that was going to happen. Next thing I knew, I was on the dance floor, and a senior Salsa mishap, landed me in the hospital with a fractured leg. That's when it happened. I reunited with Lulu, who was my nurse at the time. I knew it was her the minute she signed my cast. I told her that war story and she told me of touring with the U.S.O. in France. She sang me one of the old songs, and it was like instant love. She even accompanied me to the fall parade a few days later, and we stopped the float when the sprouts went missing and Stu's lizard contraption tried to eat my youngest grandson, and we've been together ever since.

A short while after that, we got married, good thing too, since Stu was called away to Paris the day after our wedding to fix his invention, and all of our friends went along for the ride. Of course, Lulu and I didn't go, rather, we went away on our honeymoon together. Spent fifteen days on a two week excursion in London for one week, and Italy the next. It was exciting! We then returned home, where we made many memories together, like our first Halloween at the local carnival, a trip to Club Fred in the Caribian at Thanksgiving, and our first Christmas at Christmas Land, even if she spent part of it locked inside an old-fashion cabin, while I had to fill in for Santa Clause after he quit for reasons I still don't know. We enjoyed our lives at the retirement home, and life was pretty sweet.

The following year though, I can't say things remained as such. My oldest grandson contracted the Gray Plague, and I fell into a very bad gambling addiction that left myself and Lulu struggling financially. Nearly took my own life over such frustrations, landing me in the hospital much to my dismay at this point. Lulu had contemplated getting a divorce with me at this point, ashamed of my wreckless behavior, and for that, I don't blame her. Though thanks to the sprouts showing up at the hospital without any of us knowing with a bucket of change, I returned home and made everybody's day.

Of course, I started attending Gambler's Anonomous meetings after this for quite sometime, and Lulu and I managed to work things out. Also started driving the city schoolbus to help rectify the financial whole I had gotten us into, and Lulu and I remained a couple. However, there was something she longed to do, and that, was to travel the world. So over the years while my granddaughter and grandsons saw to completing preschool and elementary school, to help stabilize our marriage, Lulu and I agreed to take some time apart at points, to allow her to travel, while I stayed behind, as I didn't want to miss a moment of my grandchildren's lives. She went to Egypt and several other places over the years, while I stayed behind, attending Emica concerts, chaperoning Tommy's class trip to the human body museum, and taking the boys camping when they were disputing over who I favored the most of my grandkids.

I missed Lulu dearly while she was gone, but I kept my chin up high, because we arranged for this together to ensure a stronger marriage, not to mention, I knew that once she returned, we'd only have a stronger relationship, knowing we took some time apart, so that Lulu could fulfill her dreams of traveling the world. Of course, her return wasn't as pleasant of a return as I would have liked. Happened shortly after Angelica started high school and Tommy was in the seventh grade. Lulu had a stroke while hiking through the Andes, having to be rushed back to the states for medical treatment. She made it through that stroke, but the doctor's weren't sure if she'd survive much longer.

Well my Lulu has the stamina of an ox. She made a full recovery, and despite my health starting to decline the following year, as my eyesight got too bad, making it nearly impossible for me to drive anymore, and even my hearing started to go in the other ear. We moved out of Withering Oaks two years ago and into a nursing home, but despite our health declining, there was one thing that never changed. Lulu always had a smile for me when I needed one, and just as we spoke on the phone every night during her travels, now we talked long into the night, together in one another's arms. Sure I'd always miss Trixi, but Lulu filled a gap in my heart that had been there for quite sometime. I took care of her, as she returned and did many things, from singing in the church choir, to helping out at the homeless shelter at Thanksgiving, to hanging out with me and my grandkids. We even got to know her great niece Taffy back in the day before she made it big, as she use to babysit the sprouts once I wasn't around to do it as often anymore.

So now we saw to our twilight years. So maybe our health wasn't what it was back in the day, Lulu still gave me her loving warm smiles everyday, and rescued me last year when I had a heart attack on one of the treadmills and had to be rushed to the hospital. She lived everyday to the fullest, and I thought things would remain beautiful between us, until a few short days ago. She was walking slower, complaining of difficulties breathing. I called an ambulance and rushed her to the hospital as quickly as I could, but it was too late. Not long after she arrived, her breathing started to give out, and sadly, she had passed on. I was hoping she would make it through this one, but I guess, this stroke, was just, too much for her to handle. And it hasn't helped that since my last heart attack, the beta-blockers have made it more difficult for me to be as active, having to care for me constantly along side the nursing home staff. No matter though, she always stuck by my side, and even when we couldn't be together, we were always together, and will be, in spirit.

Before I go though, I received a request today to read a little something that Lulu's great niece Taffy, had prepared, as a result of not being able to be here today. Thanks to sending Stu an email, and him printing it out, since I'll never figure out such dag nabbid contraptions you kids call computers, I have here a short letter that Taffy wrote for the occasion, in memory of her great aunt that I shall read to you now.

 _Dear Aunt Lulu,_

 _I know I've been busy over the years, performing with my band, raising my two daughters and starting a family, and for that, I'm sorry I wasn't around during your final days of life. I'm also sad to report that I came down with the Shingles at such a bad time, not being able to attend your funeral at the last minute, and I thank Didi for filling in for me on such short notice. However, as you're laid down to rest, I wanted to thank you, for being there for me, and for supporting me all of these years. When I struggled in high school to make it big with my band, Taffy and the Saltwaters, you never gave up hope. You always encouraged me to keep pressing forward, and it's thanks to you I got to know the minis, making some great friends and earning a little bit of money to help me with my musical studies. Even though you couldn't come with me and the minis to Washington D.C. when I finally had my big break, you were always there in spirit, supporting me all the way, and during your travels, I'll never forget shortly before my first daughter was born, you surprising me at a concert I was putting on in Japan, before I would have to take maternity leave for a while._

 _Though your support goes way back to before I ever even started a band, back to when I was just a mini myself. Maybe it was the sweet music of Sherry Berry and going to her performances when I was little that greatly inspired me, but who took me to those concerts? Who sang to me at bedtime? Who sang in the church choir and encouraged me to join children's choir in elementary school? You Lulu, you took me to those Sherry Berry concerts. You saw to getting me a spot in the children's choir, and you were the one to buy me my first guitar on my tenth birthday. You never gave up on me, and thanks to you, I got to live my dreams, of being a successful musical celebraty, on top of being a successful mother and wife, being able to watch my own minis, grow up, and take on the career paths they hope to do someday._

 _Thank you Great Aunt Lulu, thank you for everything. I couldn't have done it, without you._

 _With lots of love, hugs, and kisses,_

 _From your great niece,_

 _Taffy_

To my dear, sweet Lulu, I love you, and may you rest, in peace.

End of Lou POV

Lou returned to his seat in the pew, while the minister lead a few prayers, and some hymns that she had requested for her funeral. After the hymns were finished though, before leading the profession to the cemetery to lay her in her final resting place, there was one final request to be granted, as Minister Richard called Lou back up to the front of the chapple, one last time. This time however, Lou took his trumpet up there with him, and several members of the Wombat club joined him for this final performance.

"During our time together in the nursing home, when I wasn't watching my fishing show on TV, Lulu and I would watch old movies together. Everything from Singing in the Rain, to some movie about Halloween Town that while I could never really get into, she absolutely adored. But one of our favorite movies we would watch together was back when my grandkids were in preschool and early elementary school. The classic film, Charlotte's Web, was a beloved favorite of my late wife Lulu's, and the song that I'm about to perform on the trumpet with my Wombat, and singing in Taffy's place, my daughter-in-law, Didi Pickles, was a favorite of Lulu's to sing to Angelica, Tommy, and Dil at bedtime if we were ever babysitting." Lou explained, as Didi got up from her seat, and approached the front of the chapple near a microphone.

"And not to worry, I have my teeth in this time, so we won't have to worry about any sort of unique interpretations." Lou added, recalling that time so many years ago before he and Lulu reunited, when he took his teeth out at a picnic at the park that he and the Wombat band were playing for to try some of Didi's potato salad, only for his teeth to go missing, not showing up until midway through their performance of the National Anthem to open up their concert.

And with those final words, the music started, as Lou played through the melody of the song on his trumpet one time through, as a lovely instrumental rendition of this song, before it came around a second time, and Didi, in her sweet, soothing voice, sang those beautiful lyrics.

 _How very special are we_

 _For just a moment to be_

 _Part of life's eternal rhyme_

 _How very special are we_

 _To have on our family tree_

 _Mother Earth and Father Time_

 _He turns the seasons around_

 _And so she changes her gown_

 _But they always look in their prime_

 _They go on dancing their dance_

 _Of every lasting romance_

 _Mother Earth and Father Time_

 _The summer larks return to sing_

 _Oh what a gift they give_

 _Then autumn days grow short and cold_

 _Oh what a joy to live_

 _How very special are we_

 _For just a moment to be_

 _Part of life's eternal rhyme_

 _How very special are we_

 _To have on our family tree_

 _Mother Earth and Father Time_

After another third time through of the song, with one last instrumental performance of Lou on trumpet to close it out, everybody saw to getting up from their places, heading out of the small chapple at the funeral home, and heading to the cemitary, where Lulu's body was laid to rest. The minister said a prayer over the grave, as she was laid down, her grave was covered up, and Lou lay down some yellow daisies, because they were her favorite.

"Goodbye my sweet Lulu, I'll never forget you." Lou whispered, as he left her grave sight at the cemitary, and saw to catching up with his family, heading to Stu and Didi's house for a quiet dinner that evening.

The End

Author's Note: I referenced several things throughout this story. For Rugrats episodes, these included Grandpa's Teeth, recalling the trumpet performance he referenced before beginning his performance at the funeral, Sour Pickles, as that's where we learn of Lou running a repair business, and then, when it came to his time with Lulu, episodes referenced were, Acorn Nuts and Diapied Butts, Part 3, the movie Rugrats in Paris, Curse of the Weirwuff, Club Fred, and Babies in Toyland. For Fan Fiction stories, I referenced Rugrats and the Gray Plague, The Family Emergency, The Washington DC Story, A Thanksgiving to Remember, and the events of this story actually take place during my story, A Blind Teen's gotta do, what a Blind Teen's Gotta Do. And as far as All Grown Up episodes referenced, those would be the Rugrats special, All Growed Up, and the All Grown Up episodes, The Old and the Restless, and Golden Boy. And as you may have noticed, because this was a tribute to Debbie Reynolds, I mentioned a couple of the movies she starred in, like Singing in the Rain and Halloween Town, and the song that I had Didi perform at her funeral, is the same song that Charlotte the spider, voiced by miss Debbie Reynolds herself, sang to Wilber, right before she died. I actually thought this would be a very appropriate song to have performed at her funeral, and if Taffy couldn't be there to do it, which, no offense to Taffy, but voice wise, when hearing the various characters sing this song in my head, and recalling Didi singing, Beautiful Dreamer to Dil at the end of the season 6 Rugrats episode, Music, I actually felt Didi would be the perfect person to sing this song to Lulu at her funeral, as this song sounds more like a song for Didi to sing, while style wise, while Taffy would have done it for her great aunt, style wise, it just, doesn't scream, Taffy, based on what songs I'd hear her sing in the few episodes of Rugrats she appeared in, as while Taffy was good at bringing that upbeat, rock style to anything she sang, the Patty Cake game included, sorry, but Mother Earth, Father Time, sorry, you can't do that with that song, you just, can't, and I wasn't about to have Taffy argue over trying to pump up the beat, performing it, Taffy style, and ruining this beautiful piece at her great aunt's funeral. So, sorry she came down with Shingles, but it's all I could do on short notice, without looking rude where Taffy is concerned. With that said, I hope all who read this story enjoyed it, and I hope everybody has a good ending to the 2016 year, and a good start to the 2017 year. And to think, I ended 2015 with 139 stories on my profile, and this story will equal story 189 on my profile, so despite not being nearly as active this year, I'm quite proud of myself for releasing fifty stories to my profile over the course of the 2016 year. Of course, I'm not disappearing anytime soon. There'll be plenty more new stories, and updates to ongoing stories, come the 2017 year, so please, stay tuned, and take care everyone.


End file.
